Sour Cream Pound Cake

5 large eggs, at room temperature

2 tsp vanilla

1¾ cups all-purpose flour
¾ tsp salt
½ tsp baking powder

⅓ cup sour cream

2 tbsp milk

14 tbsp butter, softened but still cool

1¼ cups sugar

Adjust oven rack to lower-middle position and heat oven to 300 degrees. Spray 8½ x 4½-inch loaf pan with baking spray. Dust with flour.

Whisk eggs and vanilla together in 2-cup liquid measuring cup. Sift flour, ¾ tsp salt, and baking powder into bowl. Whisk sour cream and milk together in second bowl.

Beat butter on medium-high speed until smooth and creamy,  2-3 minutes, scraping down bowl once. Reduce speed to medium and gradually pour in sugar. Increase speed to medium-high and beat until pale and fluffy, 3 to 5 minutes, scraping down bowl as needed.

Reduce speed to medium and gradually add egg mixture in slow steady stream. Scrape bottom and sides of bowl and continue to mix on medium speed until uniform, about 1 minute (batter may looks curdled).

Reduce speed to low and add flour mixture in 3 additions, alternating with sour cream mixture in 2 additions, scraping down bowl as needed. Give batter final stir by hand.

Transfer the batter to prepared pan and tap pan twice on counter to release air bubbles. Bake until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean, 1¾ hours to 1 hour 55 minutes, rotating pan halfway through baking.

Let cake cool in pan on wire rack for 15 minutes. Remove cake from pan and let cool completely in rack, about 2 hours, before serving. Cooled cake can be wrapped tightly in plastic wrap and stored at room temperature for up to 3 days.

VARIATION: Cranberry Sour Cream Pound Cake

4 ounces (1 cup) fresh or frozen cranberries, chopped coarse

1 tbsp confectioners’ sugar

Toss cranberries with confectioners’ sugar until evenly coated, then gently but thoroughly fold into batter.

Roasted Turkey Breast Tenderloins and Vegetables

Turkey tenderloins are combined with carrots, celery and onions for a quick and  easy meal. A high quality ready made turkey gravy makes the dish even easier. Trader Joe’s has one but unfortunately it’s not available year round.

2 tsp dried thyme

Salt and pepper, to taste

¼ cup melted butter

2 cups sliced carrots

3 celery ribs, cut into 2-inch pieces

2 medium onions, cut into wedges

1 tbsp olive oil

2 turkey breast tenderloins

Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Combine 1 tsp dried thyme, salt and pepper with melted butter; toss with vegetables. Transfer to a roasting pan. Bake, uncovered, for 15 minutes.

Meanwhile, rub oil over turkey; sprinkle with 1 tsp dried thyme, salt and pepper. Move vegetables to edges of pan; place turkey in the center. Bake, uncovered, 20-25 minutes or until a thermometer inserted in turkey reads 165 degrees.

If desired, pour cooking juices into a small pan. Combine 2 tsp cornstarch with ¼ cup water until smooth; gradually stir in pan. Bring to a boil; cook and stir for 2 minutes or until thickened

Brown Butter Oatmeal Cookies

Brown butter adds a rich, nutty flavor to all sorts of sweets - cookies, frosting and even Rice-Krispies treats. And it adds great flavor to savory recipes as well.

1 cup all-purpose flour

¾ tsp salt

½ tsp baking soda

4 tbsp unsalted butter

¼ tsp cinnamon

¾ cup dark brown sugar

½ cup sugar

½ cup vegetable oil

1 large egg plus 1 large yolk

1 tsp vanilla

3 cups old-fashioned rolled oats

½ cup raisins (optional)

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Line baking sheets with parchment paper. Whisk flour, salt, and baking soda together in a medium bowl; set aside.

Melt butter in an 8 inch skillet over medium-high heat, swirling pan, until foaming subsides. Continue to cook, stirring and scraping bottom of pan, until milk solids are dark golden brown and butter has nutty aroma, 1 to 2 minutes. Immediately transfer browned butter to large heatproof bowl, scraping skillet with spatula. Stir in cinnamon.

Add sugar,  brown sugar, and oil to bowl with butter and whisk until combined.  Add egg and yolk and vanilla and whisk until mixture is smooth.  Using wooden spoon or spatula, stir in flour mixture until fully combined, about 1 minute. Add oats and raisins and stir until evenly distributed.

Divide dough into 20 portions, each about 3 tablespoons. Arrange dough balls 2 inches apart in prepared cookie sheets, 10 dough balls per sheet. Using your damp hand, press each ball into

2½  inch disks.

Bake, 1 sheet at a time, until edges are set and lightly browned and centers are still soft (about 8 to 10 minutes). Let cookies cool for 5 minutes; transfer to wire rack and cool completely.

Apricot-Pecan Rugelach

Filling:

1 12 oz jar apricot preserves

1 cup ground pecans

1 cup currants or raisins

½ cup sugar

1 tbsp cinnamon

Dough:

½ lb cream cheese, at room temperature

2 cups all-purpose flour

1 cup butter, at room temperature

2 tbsp sugar

Combine pecans, currants, sugar, and cinnamon in a mixing bowl; set aside. Combine cream cheese, flour, butter and sugar in a large bowl and blend.  Divide dough into four pieces. Dust each with flour, shaking off excess. Roll each piece between sheets of waxed paper into a 10” circle. Refrigerate 1 hour.

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Line baking sheets with parchment paper.

Spread each circle of dough with apricot jam.  Divide filling among circles, spreading evenly. Cut each circle into 12 wedges.  Roll up each wedge from bottom edge to point. Arranged on baking sheets, point side down.

Bake until golden, about 20 minutes. Transfer to a wire rack and let cool. Store cookies in airtight container.

Makes 4 dozen.

Oreo-Chocolate Chip Cookies

This is a fun cookie for children and adults alike. The Oreo cookie crumbs give these cookies a distinct look. NOTE: Dough must be chilled first before rolling into dough balls.

24 Oreos, divided

1 cup butter, at room temperature

1 cup light brown sugar

½ cup sugar

2 eggs

2 tsp vanilla

1 tsp baking soda

¾ tsp salt

2½ cups all-purpose flour

1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips*

Coarsely chop 12 Oreo cookies and set aside. Reserve the remaining 12 for future use.

With a hand held mixer, beat butter and both sugars together for 2 minutes at medium speed. Add in the eggs, vanilla, baking soda, and salt and mix for an additional minute, scraping the sides of the bowl as necessary.

Turn the mixer to low and add in the flour, mixing just until combined. Mix in the chocolate chips and coarsely chopped Oreo cookies. Chill the dough for 2 hours or overnight.

When dough is chilled, preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and set aside.

Separate the remaining Oreos.  Scrape the cream filling from the cookie and discard. Place cookies in a food processor or blender and blend until they are a fine crumb. (Or place in a plastic bag and crush the cookies with a rolling pin.)  Set fine crumbs aside.

Remove the chilled dough from the refrigerator and roll the dough into 2 tbsp size balls. Roll each cookie dough ball into the Oreo crumbs.

Place the cookie dough balls in the baking sheet 2 inches apart.  Bake 10-12 minutes until the edges are lightly golden brown.

*Chips can be increased to 2 cups, and you can substitute dark or milk chocolate chips.

Roasted Veggie Fusilli

1 pint grape tomatoes, halved

1 yellow squash, chopped

1 zucchini, chopped

1 red onion, sliced

3 tbsp olive oil

8 oz fusilli

¼ cup grated Parmesan

Preheat oven to 450 degrees. Toss vegetables and oil; arrange on baking sheet.  Bake for 20 minutes. While vegetables roast, cook fusilli. Toss roasted vegetables, fusilli and grated cheese. Garnish with basil.

Optional: Dollop with ½ cup part-skim ricotta.

Coconut-Chocolate Chip Cookies

While these cookies are excellent as is, I might tweak the recipe in the future with more coconut or a few drops of coconut extract.

1⅔ cups all-purpose flour

¾ tsp baking powder

½ tsp baking soda

½ tsp salt

¾ cup butter (1½ sticks), softened

¾ cup packed light brown sugar

⅓ cup sugar

1 tsp vanilla

1 large egg

1¾ cups (11.5 oz pkg) chocolate chips - milk, semi-sweet or dark

1 cup flaked coconut

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

Combine flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt in a small bowl. Beat butter, brown sugar, sugar, and vanilla in a large bowl until creamy. Beat in egg. Gradually beat in flour mixture.  Stir in chocolate chips and coconut. Drop by rounded tablespoon onto ungreased baking sheets.

Bake for 8 to 11 minutes or until the edges are lightly browned. Cool on baking sheets for 2 minutes; remove to wire racks to cool completely.